How To Help a Gassy Baby

If your baby has gas, that could be one of the most painful and inconvenient things that he has ever experienced in his young life. Gas is due to his underdeveloped digestive system, and it is caused by gas bubbles (from the nutrients in his milk or because he swallowed too much air) that got trapped in his stomach or intestines. If your baby is suffering from gas, here are things that you could do to help him:

Identify if your baby is suffering from gas. If your baby has gas, he will definitely cry as he is in pain. A gassy baby's cry is high-pitched and frantic (compared to when he is just bored, hungry or wet).

Burp your baby. This is one of the best ways that you can do. The most common way of inducing your baby to burp and release gas is by putting him over your shoulder (remember to put a diaper cloth on your shoulder just in case he throws up!), with his little head looking over your shoulder. Gently pat or rub his back (not too hard).

In case it doesn't work, you could try out other positions as this might help induce gas better. Put a diaper cloth on your lap, lay your baby face-down on it, then rub or pat his back. Again, your mission here is to induce your baby to release the gas in his tummy.

Make your baby do bicycle movements. The key here is to get the gases in your baby's stomach or intestines to go free and get moving. Just lay your baby on a bed on his back, then grab his ankles and move his legs in a bicycle motion: make sure that his knees touch his tummy.

Let your baby move around the floor in his tummy. To put pressure on his tummy, let him down on the mat on the floor, belly-down and let him move around a little bit in this position.

Bounce your baby. Lightly bounce your baby while shifting him around. This will help move around the gas in his stomach, plus it might entertain him so he might be able to stop crying.

Massage your baby's tummy. Use some gentle baby oil, and rub the pads of your fingertips (never involve your nails!) around your baby's belly in a circular motion, from beneath his ribcage to above his diaper area.

Know how to help your baby avoid gas. First of all, you should never let your baby suck on an empty bottle (guess what he's putting in his digestive system? That's right, gas). You might also want to inquire with your baby's pediatrician about the best infant formulas that are easier to digest and therefore will not cause too much gas. If you're breastfeeding, you should avoid food such as caffeine, dairy and beans, as these can cause too much gas that your baby might be ingesting.

There you have it! These are just some of the ways that you can help a gassy baby. Remember, just be patient and be assured that if you follow the proper techniques, your baby will be well and good in no time.